The establishment of the Arcana Veritas Distinction Awards (AVDA) was formally announced during the Annual Communication and Installation of Grand Lodge Office-Bearers of the Grand Lodge of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland, held in Edinburgh on 30 November 2023.

The Awards were instituted to recognise distinguished contributions to Masonic literature. They are intended for authors whose work demonstrates scholarly rigour, clarity of thought and interpretative insight. Submissions are assessed according to the quality of their research, the coherence of their argument, their fidelity to sources and their contribution to informed discourse within the principles, traditions and intellectual heritage of Freemasonry.

The Awards welcome submissions representing a broad range of perspectives and encourage the considered examination of the philosophical, historical and practical dimensions of Freemasonry with precision, originality and intellectual integrity.

The submission process provides a platform to recognise Masonic authors. We invite all authors, publishers, researchers, and scholars who are interested to submit their works for review. 

For 2026 submission has been closed.

All submitted materials and papers will undergo a preliminary examination by members of the valuation committee to check for submission errors or omissions. 

The valuation committee, comprising three distinguished brethren, will, after successfully reviewing each submitted material, forward it to a judging authority panel to be evaluated and noted. 

The methodology used by the judges will be objective and rigorous. Each submission will be evaluated based on the criteria established by the awarding organization or committee:

Quality of writing, depth of research, originality of ideas, relevance to the Masonic community, and contribution to the understanding of Freemasonry and its principles.

The judges will be asked to provide detailed feedback on each submission, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses and making recommendations for improvement. The judges may also consider the broader context of the work, such as its potential impact on the Masonic community and the wider public.